Means for turning the pages of sheet-music.



E. J. SOHLEIGHER.

MEANS FOR TURNING THE PAGES 0F SHEET MUSIC.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1910.

Patented July-18,1911.

4 sums-sum 1.

COLUMBIA PLANouRAml Cm. WASHINGTON, b. C.

1:. J. SGHLEIGHER. MEANS FOR TURNING THE PAGES 0? SHEET MUSIC.

nrmornon rum) x0119, 1910.

Patented July 18, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. J. SGHLEIGHER. MEANS FOR TURNING THE PAGES 0? SHEET MUSIC.APPLIOATIOH FILED 1101!.19, 1910.

998,265. Patented July 18,1911.

.4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

- E. J. SGHLEIOHER. MEANS FOR TURNING THE PAGES 01" SHEET MUSIC.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1910.

998,265. Patented July 18,1911.

4 BHEETBBKEET.4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMIL J. SCHLEICHER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

MEANS FOR TURNING THE PAGES OF SHEET-MUSIC.

To all whom "it may concern Be it known that I, EMIL J. SoHLEIoHEn, acitizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis andState of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMeans for Turning the Pages of Sheet-Music, of which the following is aspecification.

Ordinarily performers on pianos, organs, and other musical instrumentshave to remove their hands from the instruments on which they areperforming, when it is necessary to turn the pages of music from whichthey are playing. This inconvenience is obviated by the presentinvention, which has for its object to provide an apparatus for turningthe pages of sheet music without the necessity of the performer havingto remove his hand or hands from the musical instrument that he isplaying.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, inwhich like numbers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur,Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a piano having anapparatus embodying this invention attached thereto; Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of same; Fig. 8 is a top plan view, on an enlarged scale,showing the normal position of the arms for turning the sheets of music;Fig. 1 is a front elevation of same; Fig. 5 is a sectional yiew, on anenlarged scale, on the line 55, Fig. 1;. Fig. 6 is a perspective view ofthe sleeve containing'a cam slot for rotating the operating shaft; Fig.7 is a perspective view of a sheet-supporting member; Fig. 8 is aperspective view of an alternate form of sheet-supporting member; Fig. 9is a perspective view of an adjustable member for supporting a sheet ofmusic; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a detachable member for holdinga sheet of music in place on a sheetsupporting member; Fig. 11 is aperspective view of a plurality of music-stands having these apparatusesattached thereto and connected to operate simultaneously; Fig. 12 is aperspective view of a member that is attached to the drive shaft, Fig.11,and adapted to actuate one of the operating shafts; Fig. 13 is abottom plan view of the revoluble support having an anti-spin deviceattached thereto; Fig, 1 1 is a perspective view of the anti-spindevice; and Figs. 15,16, and 17 are detailed views of a sheet-supportingmember bearing an alternative form of;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 19, 1910.

Patented July 18, 1911.

Serial No. 593,150.

means to allow the operating arms to return to their initial positions.

The operating shaft or rod 1 extends through sleeves 2 and 8 that may besecured either to a piano or organ 4, as depicted in Figs. 1 and 2, orto a music-stand 5, as depicted in Fig. 11. Shaft 1 is preferablydisposed vertically, and passes either through an opening between twoadjacent keys 6 of the key-board, or through an opening in one of saidkeys, when the apparatus is attached to a piano or organ. A pedal 7 thatis pivotally attached at 8 to bracket 9 is arranged so that one endthereof extends beneath the lower end of shaft 1, and, when said pedalis depressed, same forces said shaft upwardly. Shaft 1 bears a pin 10that normally rests in the bot-- tom of a slot 11 in sleeve 2. Said slotis preferably arranged to extend vertically in said sleeve andcommunicates with the lower end of an inclined slot 12. A slot 13, whichis preferably arranged vertically in sleeve 2, connects the upper end ofslot 12 with the lower end of an inclined slot 141. \Vhen the pedal 7 isdepressed to the full extent of its movement, the shaft 1 is raised andthereby causes pin 10 to travel through slots 11, 12, 13, and 141 in theorder mentioned,and,when the pressure is released from said pedal, aweight 15 that is fastened to shaft 1 causes same to descend, wherebypin 10 returns through slots 14, 13, 12, and 11 to its initial position.Slot 12 inclines in the opposite direction from slot 1 1, so that, whenthe pin 10 travels upwardly through the former, shaft 1 is caused torotate clockwise, Fig. 3, but when said pin travels upwardly throughslot 1 1, said shaft is caused to rotate counterclockwise. When it isdesired to turn a page 16, the player presses the pedal downwardly so asto raise shaft 1 until pin 10 travels upwardly through slots 11 and 12,whereby said page is turned forwardly in the manner hereinafterdescribed. After pin 10 reaches the upper end of slot 12, pressure isreleased from pedal 7 thereby allowing shaft 1 to descend to its normalposition so that the next page 16 can be turned forwardly, when pedal 7is again depressed. If, however, a piece of music contains marks ofrepetition that make it necessary to turn a page 16 backwardly aftersame has been turned forwardly, as just described, the player keeps hisor her foot upon the pedal 7 in order to hold the pin 10 in the upperend of slot 12. lVhen the player is ready to repeat the part marked forrepetition, the pedal 7 is depressed further so as to cause pin 10 totravel upwardly through slots 13 and 14k in order to turn said pagebackwardly, in the manner hereinafter described, after which, pressureis released from pedal 7, with the result that shaft 1 descends to itsinitial. position so that said page can be turned forwardly, when saidpedal is again depressed.

A wheel or spool 17 is loosely mounted on shaft 1, and bears a pair ofannular flanges 18. A circular member 19 that is secured to sleeve 3 byany suitable means supports wheel 17 and contains an opening to allowshaft 1 to pass therethrough. The flanges 18 of wheel 17 are connectedby a plurality of pins or bolts 20 that pass through apertures 21 insaid flanges, said pins or bolts being preferably spaced at equaldistances apart. The pins 20 support a plurality of members 22 that arearranged to extend out wardly from wheel 17. Said members 22 are formedof sheet metal, wire, or other suitable material, and, in practice, itis preferable to use about half as many members 22 as the number of pins20. Each member 22 is preferably similar in cross-sectionalconfiguration to an angle-iron and is capable of rotating throughapproximately 180 degrees about its supporting pin 20. Said member 22 isprovided with a button 23 or plurality of same to support a page orsheet 16, said page having a perforation 2a or plurality of suchperforations to fit over said button or buttons. Said page 16 is held inplace by means of a clamp or plurality of such clamps, and is therebyprevented from being blown off the button or buttons 23, said clampsbeing capable of sliding longitudinally on said member 22. An arm 26borne by member 22 extends upwardly therefrom, and is bent so that itsend 27 occupies a position to be engaged either by arm 28 or by arm 29in the manner hereinafter described, said arms 28 and 29 beingadjustably mounted on shaft 1 by means of set-screws 30 and 31,respectively. The arms 28 and 29 diverge from shaft 1 and are locatedabove wheel 17, the arm 28 being located at a higher elevation than arm29 and normally occupying a position at a lower elevation than the ends27 of arms 26. Said arms 28 and 29 normally extend from the right-handside of shaft 1, as depicted in Fig. 3, and, when said shaft is raisedand rotated, as hereinabove described, said arms rise and rotatetherewith.

The lower flange 18 of wheel 17 bears a plurality of pins or projections32 that are preferably equal in number to pins 20. Said pins 32 arelocated adjacent pins 20 and are so arranged relative to members 22 thatthe particular member 22, which supports the front page 16 on theright-hand side of shaft 1, Fig. 5, is held by one of said pins 32 inposition to hold the end 27 of its arm 26 normally in a plane betweenthe ends of arms 28 and 29. ll hen the pin 10 is raised in slot 11, ashereinabove described, the shaft 1 and arms 28 and 29 are raised untilthe arm 28 reaches the level of the lower extremity of end 27 of arm 26borne by the member 22 on the right-hand side of shaft 1. While the pin10 travels upwardly through slot 12, the shaft 1 and arms 28 and 29rotate clockwise, Fig. 3, whereby the arm 28 engages the end 27 of arm26 of the front member 22 on the right-hand side of shaft 1. and causessaid member to rotate toward the left on its pin 20. As the pin 10approaches the upper end of slot 12, a. corner or projection 33 of saidmember 22 engages a flange 18 of wheel 17, as shown in the dotted lineposition, Fig. 5, and thereby causes said wheel to rotate clockwisethrough part of a revolution so as to cause said member 22 to occupy aposition on the left-hand side of shaft 1, and, also, to cause a pin 20to move the next following member 22 to the forward position on theright-hand side of shaft 1. The pedal 7 is then released and the shaft 1and arms 28 and 29 return to their initial positions. as the pin 10returns toward the lower end of slot 12 the arm 28 engages the frontside of the end 27 of arm 26 borne by the front member 22 on theright-hand side of shaft. 1, and for this reason said end 27 is bentrearwardly to allow said arm to pass beneath same, said arm 28 beingpreferably resilient for this purpose. Thus the arm 28 moves to itsnormal position behind said end 27 so as to be in position to engagesaid end, when shaft 1 and arms 28 and 29 are again raised and rotatedas just described. After a page 16 has been turned forwardly as justdescribed and it is desired to turn same baek'wnirdly for any reason,the player keeps his or her foot upon pedal 7 after said page has beenturned forwardly, so as to prevent shaft 1 and arms 28 and 29 fromreturning to their normal positions. When the player is ready to turnsaid page backwardly, the pedal 7 is depressed further so as to causethe pin 10 to travel upwardly through slots 13 and 14. #Vhen the pin 10is raised in slot 13, as hereinabove described, the shaft 1 and arms 28and 29 move upwardly until arm 28 moves out of engagement with end 27 ofarm 26 borne by the member 22 on the left-hand side of shaft 1 and thearm 29 reaches the level of the lower extremity of said end 27. lVhilethe pin 10 travels upwardly through slot 1 1, the shaft 1 and arms 28and 29 rotate counter-clockwise, Fig. 3, whereby arm 29 engages the end27 of said arm 26 and causes said member 22 to rotate toward the righton its pin 20. As the pin 10 approaches the upper end of slot 14, themember 22 .engages a pin 32 and thereby causes wheel 17 to rotatecounter-clockwise, until said member reaches the forward position on theright-hand side of shaft 1. Pedal 7 is then released and shaft 1 andarms 28 and 29 re turn to their initial positions, as hereinabovedescribed, so as to be in position to turn said page forwardly again,when pedal 7 is depressed.

A plate 34 having a pair of depending lugs 35 is fastened to the lowerside of wheel 17 by means of screws 36 or the like. A rod or plunger 37extends through openings in lugs 35 and bears a V-shaped end 38. Aplurality of notches 39 are formed in the aeriphery of member 19, andform seats for the V-shaped end 38 of rod 37, said end 38 being pressedtoward said member by means of a spring 40 or the like. The notches 39are spaced at predetermined distances apart so that, when wheel 17 isrotated by turning a page 16 forwardly or backwardly as hereinabovedescribed, the V-shaped end 38 of rod 37 moves from one notch 39 andseats in another notch adjacent thereto, so as to limit the movement ofsaid wheel and to prevent same from spinning.

In Fig. 11 a plurality of music-stands 5 having these apparatusesattached thereto are depicted. A shaft 41 extends through openings inbrackets 9 and bears a plurality of arms 42 that are arranged to extendbeneath the shafts 1. A pedal 43 is secured to shaft 41 and, when sameis depressed, said shaft rotates and thereby causes the arms 42 to raisethe shafts 1 simultaneously whereby each shaft 1 causes a page 16 toturn forwardly or backwardly, as hereinabove described. By thisarrangement several pages 16 can be turned simultaneously, which rendersthe apparatus very useful for bands and orchestras.

In Fig. 8 an alternative form of member 22 is depicted that contains aslot 44 extending longitudinally thereof. A pair of members 45 isslidably mounted in slot 44 and affords means for supporting differentsizes of pages 16, each of said members 45 being provided with a button46 to support a page.

In Figs. 15, 16, and 17 instead of bending the end 27 of arm 26 in orderto allow arm 28 to return to its normal position, as hereinabovedescribed, a member 47 is pivoted at 48 to said end 27, said member 47being capable of rotating only in one direction, a. 6., clockwise, Fig.17. When the arm 28 moves a member 22 from the right-hand side of shaft1 to the left-hand side of same, the lower corner of end 27 preventssaid member from rotating by the engagement of arm 28 with said member47, but, when arm 28 returns to its initial position and engages themember 47 borne by the arm 26 of member 22 occupying a forward positionon the right-hand side of shaft 1, said arm 28 trips said member. Saidmember 47 is so arranged relative to arm 29, that, when said arm moves amember 22 from the left-hand side of shaft 1 to the right-hand side ofsame, said arm 29 presses the side of the end 27.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The pages 16 are hung uponthe buttons 23 on members 22, as hereinabove de scribed, so that theforward member 22 on the right-hand side of shaft 1, Fig. 1, supportsthe first page 16. Vhen it is desired to turn the first page 16forwardly, i. e. from the right-hand side of shaft to the left-hand sideof same, the player presses the pedal 7 downwardly until the pin 10travels upwardly through slots 11 and 12, whereby shaft 1 and arms 28and 29 rise and rotate clockwise, Fig. 3, with the result that arm 28turns the first page 16 forwardly in the manner hereinabove described.After the first page is turned forwardly, the player releases the pedal7 and thereby allows shaft 1 and arms 28 and 29 to return to theirinitial positions, so that arm 28 can turn the second page forwardly,when said pedal is again depressed. This operation is continued untilthe desired number of pages are turned. If it is desired to turn a page16 backwardly, the player keeps his or her foot upon the pedal 7 inorder to prevent shaft 1 and arms 28 and 29 from returning to theirinitial position after said page has been turned forwardly. \Vhen theplayer is ready to turn said page baclnvardly, the pedal 7 is depressedfurther in order to cause shaft 1 and arms 28 and 29 to rise and rotatecounter-clockwise, Fig. 3, whereby said arm turns said page backwardly,in the manner hereinabove described, after which said pedal is released,with the result that shaft 1 and arms 28 and 29 return to their initialpositions to allow arm 28 to turn said page forwardly, when said pedalis again depressed.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of ahollow support having a cam slot, a shaft extending through saidsupport, a pin projecting from said shaft into said slot and adapted tocontrol the movement of said shaft, and a pivoted member for actuatingsaid shaft, part of said slot being inclined to rotate said shaft in onedirection when the pivoted member is depressed and another part of saidslot being oppositely inclined to positively rotate said shaft in theopposite direction when the pivoted member is further depressed.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a pairof hollow &

supports, an upright shaft extending through said supports, a memberloosely journaled on said'shaft, page-supporting means attached to saidmember, a pivoted member adapted to raise said shaft, means borne by oneof said supports adapted to control the movement of said shaft, andmeans operated by said shaft adapted to actuate said page supportingmeans.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of ashaft, a spool loosely mount-ed thereon, a page-supporting memberpivoted to said spool, an arm rigidly borne by said shaft and operatingindepend ent of said member to actuate said page-supporting member, andmeans for actuating said shaft to cause said arm carried thereby tooperate said page-supporting member.

4t. In combination with a shaft, a spool loosely mounted thereon, apage-supporting member pivoted to said spool, a pair of arms borne bysaid shaft to rotate therewith and operating independent of said member,said arms extending on opposite sides of said page-supporting member,and means for actuating said shaft whereby in one movement thereof oneof said arms rotates said member in one direction and on the reversemovement the other arm rotates said member in the opposite direction.

5. In combination with a shaft, and a member loose thereon, a pluralityof movable page supporting members carried by said shaft member, meansrigidly borne by said shaft and operating independent of said pagesupporting members to actuate the latter, and means to operate saidshaft and thereby cause said means thereof to operate saidpage-supporting members.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of ashaft, a spool loosely mounted thereon, a plurality of pagesupportingmembers pivoted to the flanges of said spool, a pair of arms borne bysaid shaft, and means for actuating said shaft, one of said armsengaging on one side of the members to rotate said members in onedirection and the other engaging on the opposite sides of the members torotate said members in the opposite direction.

7. In an apparatus of the character described the combination of arevoluble support, a shaft adapted to rotate and to move vertically, apair of arms borne by said shaft and diverging therefrom,page-supporting means pivoted to said support, and means for actuatingsaid shaft, said page supporting means being engageable between saidarms whereby one of said arms rotates said page-supporting means in onedirection and the other rotates said page-supporting means in theopposite direction.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of arevoluble support, a shaft adapted to rotate and to move vertically, apair of arms borne by said shaft and diverging therefrom, apage-supporting member pivoted to said support, a projection borne bysaid member for engagement with said arms, and means for actuating said.shaft, one of said arms being adapted to rotate said member in onedirection and the other being adapted to rotate said member in theopposite direction.

9. In combination with a shaft having rotatable and vertical movement, aseries of movable page supporting members, means carried by the shafttoengage on opposite sides of said members to actuate the same, and meansto operate the shaft to move the same verticallyto bring said engagingmeans thereof to engage with said page supporting members andsynchronously therewith to rotate the shaft to effect a turning of saidengaging means and. therewith the page supporting members.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of arevoluble support, a shaft extending therethrough to rotate and to movevertically, page-supporting members pivoted to said support, means borneby said shaft to actuate said members separately, means borne by saidsupport to hold said members separately in position to be engaged bysaid actuating means, and means for actuating said shaft.

11. In an apparatus of the character descril'ied, the combination of arevoluble support, a shaft extending therethrough to rotate and to movevertically, page-supporting members pivoted to said support, means borneby said shaft to actuate said members separately, means borne by saidmembers to rotate said support, and means borne by said support to holdsaid members separately in position to be engaged by said actuatingmeans, and means for actuating said shaft.

12. In an apparatus of the character described, the eombination of arevolnblc support, a shaft extending therethrough to rotate and to movevertically, pa ge-supporting members pivoted to said support, meansborne by said shaft to actuate said mem bers separately, means borne bysaid. mem bers to rotate said support, and means borne by said supportto hold said members separately in position to be engaged by saidactuating means, means for actuating said shaft, and means for limitingthe movement of said support.

13. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of ashaft, a support loosely mounted thereon, a member pivoted to saidsupport, means borne by said member adapted to support a page, and meansoperated by said shaft and engaging on opposite sides of said pagesupporting means to actuate said member to turn said page.

14. In combination with a rotatable and vertically movable shaft, asupport loosely mounted on the shaft, page supporting means pivoted tothe support, means car ried by the shaft and rotatable therewith toengage said page supporting means, and means to simultaneously raise androtate said shaft to bring said means for engaging the page supportingmeans in engagement with the latter to rotate same.

15. In combination with a rotatable and vertically movable shaft, amovable page supporting member, means carried by the shaft, to engagesaid page supporting member and normally out of contact therewith, andmeans to raise and rotate the shaft to bring said means for engaging thepage supporting means in engagement with the latter to actuate same.

16. In combination with a rotatable and vertically movable shaft, amovable page supporting member, means carried by the shaft to engage andactuate said member when the shaft is moved vertically, and meansincluding a depressible element to raise and rotate said shaft.

17. In combination with a rotatable and vertically movable shaft, amovable page supporting member, means carried by the shaft to engage andactuate said member, and depressible means to raise and rotate saidshaft, said depressible means when actuated to a predetermined extenteffecting a turning of said member in one direction and when furtherdepressed effecting a positive turning of said member in the opposite direction.

18. In combination with a rotatable and vertically movable shaft, amember loosely mounted thereon, a page supporting member pivoted to saidloose member, an arm projecting from said page supporting member, a pairof arms carried by said shaft to engage on opposite sides of the firstnamed arm, and means to operate the shaft to effect a raising thereof tobring the pair of arms to engage said first named arm and to subsequently rotate the shaft to effect turning of the page supportingmember.

19. In combination with a movable page supporting member, means formedto engage on opposite sides of said member, said member and means beingmovable one with respect to the other and being normally free ofengagement with one another, and means to effect a relative sliding androtating movement of the parts to cause the same to engage and to turnthe page supporting member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two witnesses.

EMIL J. SCHLEICI-IER.

I/VitneSses GEORGE G. ANDERSON, GLADYs IVALTQN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, I). G.

